Fishing

From trophy trout and salmon to smallmouth bass and walleye, every species of fish that swims in the Great Lakes can be found in the waters around Niagara Falls USA. Book a charter, find a scenic stretch of shore or sign up for a derby — you’re sure to find your own perfect watering hole.

The same waters that tumble over the Falls create one of the Northeast’s best fisheries, a year-round playground for sport and professional anglers alike. Opportunities abound, whether you’re into fly fishing or reel fishing, rivers or lakes, cold-water trout or warm-water bass.

Freshwater is plentiful in and around Niagara Falls, New York, with the mighty Niagara River joining two Great Lakes: Ontario and Erie. The nearby Erie Canal affords other fishing opportunities, as well. The Niagara Falls USA fishing landscape can be broken down into four distinct regions, each offering its own unique draw to anglers. Depending on the time of year you want to visit and the type of fish you want to catch, there’s a region that’s right for you:

• Falls Region: The area above Niagara Falls has shallower water that’s home to warm-water fish like bass and muskellunge.

• River Region: The Niagara River, carrying the water from the upper four Great Lakes, is the lifeblood for a host of fish species that call Niagara their home, including salmon, trout, bass, muskie, walleye and more. Fishing activities below Niagara Falls exist 365 days a year, with some of the best trout fishing in the world taking place during the late fall, winter and early spring.

• Lake Region: Lake Ontario offers up one of the finest trout and salmon fisheries on the Great Lakes. Winning Lake Ontario Counties Derby fish routinely come from the famous Niagara Bar, and in 2014, all three grand prize catches came from Niagara Falls USA — the first time that's ever been accomplished!

• Canal Region: The Erie Canal is a blossoming recreational waterway that's underrated by many. While it's most noted for boating and its historic value, fishing can be very good for warm water fish species like pike, bass, carp and panfish.

PLANNING YOUR FISHING TRIP

Everyone has a different version of the perfect fishing trip. Are you bringing your own rig and need to find the right ramp to set out from? Do you want an experienced captain to take you out on unfamiliar waters to find the spots that only a local would know? Or would you rather fish from shore? If you are land bound, you’ll find great shore fishing in the Niagara Gorge, Burt Dam and the lower portion of 18 Mile Creek. If you’re still not sure where to start your fishing trip, you can request a copy of our Niagara Falls USA Outdoor Guide. You can also find a weekly fishing report, which is currently recorded at (877) FALLS-US. And if you’re ready to test your mettle, take note of the many tournaments and derbies that happen throughout the year offering big cash prizes.

Whatever your specific interest or level of knowledge is, there’s amazing fishing waiting for you in Niagara Falls USA all year round. You can also combine your angling passion with other spectacular outdoor activities in the Niagara region, including hiking, birding and camping.